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Two sentenced in crash that killed Billerica woman

The Lowell Sun

Updated:
12/10/2012 06:34:10 AM EST

Sun Staff Report

A Florida mother will serve jail time because her underage daughter was behind the wheel in a crash that killed a Billerica woman.

Apryl Tucker, 37, of Navarre, Fla., pleaded no contest to a charge of allowing an unauthorized person to drive, according to the Pensacola News Journal. Her daughter, Brianna Henderson, 15 at the time of the crash, pleaded no contest to charges of failure to obtain a Florida driver's license, failure to yield right of way at a stop sign and violation of learner's-permit requirements.

The June car crash killed Margaret Catyb, 77, of Billerica, who traveled to Florida for her grandson's high-school graduation. The News-Journal reports that Henderson ran a stop sign and collided with Catyb's car.

Tucker was sentenced to 60 days in jail and was placed on six months probation. Judge Robert Hilliard suspended 40 days of the sentence if Tucker completes probation, performs community service and apologizes to the Catyb family.

Henderson was sentenced to six months probation, the News Journal reports. She must speak about the tragedy at a victim-impact panel and at her school, Navarre High.

Hilliard also ordered Henderson to write a letter of apology to the Catyb family, write a 1,000-word paper on the effects of driving a vehicle carelessly and perform 75 hours of community service.

She was also ordered to have no contact with the Catyb family, not to possess alcohol or drugs and not to operate a vehicle.

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Her driving privileges were revoked for one year, and she must pay fines and court costs in addition to restitution in the case.

Contacted by the News Journal on Friday, son Alley Catyb of Dracut said the family did not wish to comment.

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